Staff satisfaction surveys – friend or foe? Author: Dr Ros Leslie, Dr Nicky Eddison, Gail Parry Trust: RWT Surveys are generally considered an effective tool to understand the concerns of employees1, especially during the recent challenging times. Conducting employee surveys gives staff an opportunity to share their feelings and highlight problems that might otherwise remain hidden. When done correctly, surveys can provide critical data that can be used to influence organisational culture, by making positive changes based on survey feedback. Staff, in turn, feel valued and respected2. Positive staff engagement has been linked to reduced staff turnover, lower sickness absence and improved patient experience. The National Health Service (NHS) is the United Kingdom’s largest employer and is dependent on an engaged, properly resourced workforce to cope with ever rising demand. The NHS staff survey provides a national and local picture of how our NHS people experience their working lives, gives staff a voice, and provides the data organisations need to improve employee engagement and experience, and ultimately improve patient care2. It is one of the largest workforce surveys in the world and has been running every year since 2003.
July 2022
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